Mirror of Erised
by Serenity Cassiopeia Black
Summary: Bellatrix has always felt like a bird trapped in a cage. Will a chance encounter with the Mirror of Erised change her future?


**Originally I wrote this for a prompt for a character looking into the mirror of erised. I hope you enjoy. I own nothing except my OC Serenity. **

"Bella, I don't think we're supposed to be here?" Bellatrix Lestrange heard her cousin Serenity whisper.

"Quiet cousin, I just wanted to see if the rumors were true." Bellatrix spoke as she made her way across the room to a tall object that was being covered by an old dusty cover. Her younger cousin close behind her.

A grin formed on her face as she pulled off the dusty cover. "What is that?" Her cousin asked looking at the strange mirror that was hidden under the cover. "erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi" Bellatrix heard her cousin mutter. "What does that mean?"

"You must read it backwards," was Bellatrix's only response as she moved to stand before the mirror. She tuned out her cousins voice, as she was trying to read the inscription backwards, and continued looking into the mirror.

Rodolphus Lestrange had told her that there was a mirror hidden on the grounds somewhere that would show you your deepest desire when you gazed into it. Bellatrix, of course, had to find it once he'd told her of it. Her parents had just told her she was to marry Rodolphus once they finished their final year. Bellatrix wasn't all to pleased about it. So, when Rodolphus told her of the mirror and what it could show, she had to find it.

It took her 3 days of sneaking out of the Slytherin dorms at night to finally find the mirror. She'd only dragged her cousin along this time because she had followed her wanting to know where she kept going at night. But now - now, she finally found it!

"Bella, why are we here?" her cousin asked.

Bellatrix looked to her right where her cousin stood next to her just out of the mirrors view. "Dear cousin," Bellatrix began. "You see this mirror, not only shows you what you desire when you gaze into it. It can also show you truth or knowledge."

She saw the confusion in her cousin's eyes. "As you know, it's been arranged that I marry Lestrange once I graduate." Bellatrix sighed. "I just need to know that I'm not meant to become some pureblood baby factory. That I'll become more."

"Bella, I don't understand how this is supposed to help." But Serenity knew her cousin well. There would be no changing her mind. "But what can it hurt?" Bellatrix heard Serenity add. "I don't think I should be here for this. I'm going to head back. Please don't stay too long and get caught, I'd hate for us to lose more house points."

She gave her cousin a slight nod and waited for her to exist the room before her eyes were fixed back onto the mirror. Bellatrix wasn't sure how to make it work, but all she could do was hope that the mirror would show another path for her.

As soon as the thought left her mind the image in the mirror changed. It showed Bellatrix standing over someone, who it didn't matter. She stood above them, hand with wand outstretched pointing at them as the person on the ground writhed in pain. Bellatrix watching and laughing as her wand let out another round of the curse. A figure whose face she couldn't see, but knew would hold great importance to her, stood next to her. Hand on her shoulder encouraging her to continue.

Her eyes widened as she looked into the mirror. There was nothing short of magnificence at the sight before her - she was powerful, invincible... Unafraid of anything. A sinister smile stretched across her face, matching that of the glorious image in the mirror. And after drinking her fill of the mirror's revelation, Bellatrix hurried back to the Dungeons as quietly as she could.

Once back in Slytherin's common room, her cousin ran up to her quickly. "Bellatrix, what did you see?" She asked curiously. Bellatrix just looked at her and winked before she turned and making her way to the girls dormitory.

The mirror had shown her just what she needed to see. She wasn't sure how or when, but she knew that she had to do everything in her power to make what the mirror had shown her become her reality. She would find this faceless man and he would teach her such wonderful things.

Right now, Bellatrix may be a bird trapped in a cage, but the Bellatrix she saw in that mirror - was free.


End file.
